Taste of Spring
by Leslie-Ann Sheppard
owner of The Cellar on Surfside Road.
Vernal: Adjective. Of, in, or appropriate to spring.
The Vernal Equinox, or the official start of spring, was March 20. On Nantucket, we’re never quite sure what to expect from spring; it can be weeks and even months of grey, cold and wet.
I returned to the island after my winter break in the Teton Mountains shortly after the Equinox. For me the winter was snowy enough to provide wonderful days of cross-country skiing and a few great powder days for snowboarding, and it was sunnier than usual. We had clear views of the Tetons more days than in all of my other winters there combined.
I headed back to Nantucket at the end of March in anticipation of opening The Cellar for Easter weekend. The first few days were what I feared: raining sideways, flooded streets, and the 40 degrees that felt so much colder than the 20 degrees of the Rocky Mountains. Tough re-entry.
But then, it happened. Spring arrived. April, it seemed, was not the cruelest month, but offered plenty of days that were dry, sunny, and allowed our plants to bud and bloom. Thus begins the cycle of life in the plant world.
Gardeners are preparing their soil for their crops. Grape vineyard managers are looking for first bud break, tending to their soil, planting complimentary flora to control insects and other pests.
All this renewal has got me thinking about wines that truly embody this ‘waking up’ spirit of May Day and spring in general. Naturally, I think of white wines that celebrate freshness and will compliment other rites of spring.
Vernaccia is a white grape varietal that is specific to San Gimignano in Tuscany, Italy. Its very name evokes a sense of spring, as its Latin root suggests that it means spring. It is a wine that the ‘average’ wine drinker may not know; but those who have traveled to Tuscany and specifically the beautiful hilly commune of San Gimignano cannot help but know it, if not have been seduced by it. I featured a bottling of Vernaccia produced by Fontaleoni recently at a wine tasting, and the tasters universally found it ‘surprisingly fresh,’ ‘dry but with a viscous, almost honeyed texture,’ ‘crisp and with good acidity,’ and ultimately a versatile, delicious food wine.
Fishing, and catching the first ‘keeper’ of the season is certainly an exciting rite of spring. The Stripers are running, and as they move north, they will bump right into our south shores. Any day now I expect to hear about a 28-incher being pulled out of the water, and then, the question of which wine to pair with the exciting first striper filet.
Striped bass is sort of chameleon fish; not having much flavor on its own, it relies on the chef’s preparation. It is excellent grilled or pan roasted, and can take a wide variety of marinades, spices, and sauces.
Depending on the preparation, many different wines can elevate this dish to a more memorable experience. Again, white wines come to mind more easily than reds. White wines from France’s Loire Valley are a sure thing for Striped bass. Vouvray, a white made from the chenin blanc grape, is a favorite of mine. It has a touch (just a touch) of sweetness that frames the crisp pear and apple profile. Like Vernaccia, it is specific to its area. Sancerre is perhaps the most well known of the Loire Valley wines. Dry and mineral-driven, the best bottlings can also have a creamy edge to them, a complexity usually attributed to the age of the vines. Red wine can also work with striper, especially if it is grilled. Light and fruity is definitely the way to go so as to not bury the flavors of the fish. A new world pinot noir such as Au Bon Climat from California or one from New Zealand would be a good match.
On the mainland, the spring brings the harvest of wild turkey for hunters. Wild turkey tends to have a stronger flavor than farmed turkey, and so calls out for medium bodied red wines. Right now I am loving the reds from Grenache and Syrah grapes, and these grapes are grown and vinified all over the world. My favorites right now, however, come from France’s Rhone Valley. The 2007 vintage in the southern Rhone is an excellent one for drinking now; it tends to be fruit forward but with its trademark earthy notes. There are many excellent bottlings of Cotes du Rhone, or for a step up, try a Gigondas or Chateauneuf du Pape.
While it’s a little early for harvesting vegetables here on the island, it’s not too early to celebrate the earliest ‘typically harvested’ vegetables. Fiddlehead ferns, spring peas, and asparagus are synonymous with spring. Austria’s most important and unique grape, Gruner Veltliner is a perfect pairing for vegetarian dishes. I love the ‘Hugo’ bottling from Huber winery; and at around $12 a bottle, it is even easier to love. Complete with a screw-top enclosure and beautiful springtime label, it’s a quintessential springtime wine.
In the wine world, an important rite of spring is the release of the season’s rosé vintage. It is at this time that we start seeing the arrival of the 2009 rosés from overseas, and I always eagerly anticipate them. Rosé is ‘summertime in a glass,’ with its fruit of red wine but crisp lightness of white. There are many different styles from sweet to dry, but I recommend trying a great dry rosé from Provence, or other Mediterranean areas. Not to discount domestic rosés either, as many of them are a world better than the mass-produced debauchery of the white zinfandel of the 1980s and 90s. If you are resistant to the merits of rosé, your best bet is to experiment, and you can do this with minimal commitment if you can attend a wine tasting at your local wine shop, or at least speak to a knowledgeable wine buyer.
As the island becomes greener and a bit more crowded, I hope to find time to stop and smell the flowers. And then imagine which wines go best with savoring and celebrating that moment.
